1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a toy record player of the type having a housing on which a record disc is mounted for reproduction. More particularly, the invention is concerned with a toy record player in which a reproduction system adapted for reproduction of selected one of a plurality of recording grooves is started by an axial movement of a shaft and which is reset to the starting condition automatically when the reproduction is over, whereby the structure is made compact and easy to handle, and the toy is rendered more attractive.
2. Prior Art
Conventionally, toy record players have been provided which reproduce the sound of a selected one of a plurality of recording grooves formed in a record disc. This type of toy record player is, preferably, constructed and designed to provide an operation which is as simple and safe as possible, and to include an automatic returning of the tone arm.
Unfortunately, the size of present or conventional toy record players have been unacceptably large. This is because the mechanism for fitting the stylus into the recording groove, electric switches, disc-supporting mechanism and other constituents are separately designed and installed within the record player, thereby occupying too large a space, as a whole.
Recently, there has been an increasing demand for minimizing the size of toy record players and which, also, includes simplified operation and handling.
From the view point of minimizing the size of the player, the electric starting switch must be installed at a position, whereby the handling of the switch may be made without hindrance from the record disc mounted on the housing. Thus, in those toy record players having a small housing, the upper face thereof is covered almost entirely by the record disc when the latter is mounted thereon, so that the starting switch is usually installed at a side of the housing. Alternatively, the switch is installed at a small area not covered by the disc on the upper face. However, when the switch is provided at a side of the housing, the compact and light-weight record player has to be held by one hand, so as not to move, while the lateral switch is operated by the other hand. This manner of operation is considerably troublesome since it is difficult to perform because of instability in the manipulation thereof. This results in the touching of the record disc thereby displacing the selected recording groove from the stylus.
Where the switch is installed on a small area on the upper face of the housing, it is not necessary to manipulate the player by both hands. However, since the switch is located in close proximity to the record disc, there still is the fear that the record disc is accidentally touched by hand to displace the recording groove from the stylus.
Thus, in those toy record players of a type having a record disc provided with a plurality of grooves and adapted to be installed on the housing, it is highly desirable to make the size and weight small enough, without deteriorating the maneuverability thereof.
Even though the present invention does not concern toy record players in which the record disc is enclosed by a housing, even when they are intended for selection of recording grooves, some of this type of toy record player utilizes axial movement of the record disc for bringing it into and out of engagement with the stylus. This type of player requires, however, a rod for pressing the record disc, as well as mechanisms associated with the rod, which are entirely unacceptable for reducing the size of the type of record player under consideration herein.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,017,187 and Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 6100/1969 there is disclosed, respectively, a toy record player in which a record disc, having a plurality of recording grooves, is adapted to be housed by a doll or a housing, with the latter reference teaching a knob having arrow signs adapted to be rotated for selecting the recording groove. This type of player provides an impression entirely different from that provided by a player on which the disc is mounted on the housing. In addition, in this type of player, the over-all size inevitably becomes large, because the tone arm has to be moved to and from the recording surface, for bringing the stylus into and out of engagement with the recording groove. This movement of the tone arm can be performed only by an additional or specific mechanism for actuating the tone arm, or by a combination of a pulling cord adapted to lift the tone arm and an expensive spring motor capable of imparting a torque to the record disc.
Thus, it is to be appreciated that heretofore there has been no compact toy record player for mounting thereon a record disc having a plurality of recording grooves, for a selective reproduction of one of these grooves.